JAPANESE FAMILY RUN RESTAURANT
Festive Opening Times
The restaurant will be closed from Tuesday 24 December to Tues 7 January 2025.
Last day open is Saturday 21st December and first day is Wednesday 8th January.
OPENING HOURS
Tuesday – Friday
12-3pm (close 3:30pm) 5:30-9pm (close 9:30pm)
Saturday
5:30-9pm (close 9:30pm)
Closed Sunday, Monday
ADDRESS
5 Middlesex street, E1 7AA
We are the same So Restaurant of Soho, since 2006
We look forward to serving you ☺️
Authentic Japanese Restaurant in London
Nestled in Petticoat Lane dining quarter, in the City of London, So Restaurant is an intimate restaurant run by a Japanese family. Signature dishes include Miso marinated black cod, grilled kabayaki eel, prepared on a custom made yogan-yaki grill imported from Mount Fuji. All the much-loved traditional Japanese favourites like sushi, sashimi, katsu, mixed tempura, wagyu beef are also served.
The dining room is woody, spacious and calm with the choice of traditional Japanese yatai stalls and wooden tables to dine at.
So Restaurant opened near Covent Garden in west London in 2006 and moved to near Spitalfields Market in 2020, to share space with their sister company the Japanese cooking school, Sozai.
The main dining room had a large sushi counter where four course omakase were served. There was also a private dining room for hire for special gatherings.
Lunch MENU
Yatai Bar Menu
Events
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
So Restaurant
4.4Out of 5 starsOverall rating out of 529 Google reviews
Binny Arora
a week ago
It’s my first time trying this place. It was a great experience form the atmosphere to ambience to food, everything was flawless. The best part was the service with the smile and care which is rare to find these days in rat race. It was not a crowded place where they want to serve table after table but a family run place who serve you just like your family. Will be back for sure.
Francesca Bernardin
2 weeks ago
Yoan Stoyanov
2 weeks ago
Fantastic Japanese restaurant in east central London (a short walk from Aldgate or Liverpool Street Station). They seem to frequently host cultural events, one of which we were lucky enough to attend! The organisation was superb and a very smooth experience. From making the booking online, to arrival, to the evening event and dining itself. We were treated to a multi-course set menu of salads and fresh sashimi, mains of chicken and sushi, followed by a dessert. All of which had creative and delicious elements to delight your palate. The service and staff were all wonderful and helpful, creating a warm atmosphere. I very much look forward to visiting again!
watanabe shingo
2 weeks ago
Family friendly authentic Japanese Restaurant with nice food, staff and interesting events held regularly. Food is fantastic. Recently we had "Truffle" flavoured Inari which is very tasty. My 3 year old daughter loves "Okoge" senbei with cream cheese and Nori-seaweed. Service is also good. Every staff is attentive and friendly. Atmosphere is interesting. Recently they have implemented "Yatai" (i.e. stall) style seats which reinforce the traditional Japanese atmosphere. I recommend trying this place if you are looking for nice Japanese restaurant in London.
Francesc
2 weeks ago
Very good, fresh Japanese food.
Paul Kingham
2 weeks ago
As per many of my reviews, this place is another hidden gem! I would be remiss if I didn’t start and end this review without saying ‘Try the tempura prawns!!’ That aside this is an authentic Japanese eatery always with Japanese clientele. The venue is small and intimate which emphasises the friendly and personal service. The staff are knowledgeable about the menu and even wine selection was on point. But let’s talk about the food. This is a great space to explore subtle and delicate flavours. It’s like discovering premium food in a relaxed and casual setting.l. I sound a bit gushy but this is a nice place to dine in your own or to impress your friends. Trust me 🙂 As an addendum I recently returned for one of the comedy nights. This was something different to what I was expecting the performer was Katsura Sunshine and he was performing Rakugo comedy. Basically the art of telling stories. The whole thing was in English and highly entertaining I laughed the whole evening. It came with a set meal of about six different dishes and really well priced. They close the door once performance starts to avoid interruption. I highly recommend checking the website for booking future events. Sunshine has performed on broadway and the west end and is about to start on Netflix. So lucky to catch him in such an intimate venue.
Mika Higuchi
3 weeks ago
Very pleasant experience with delicious authentic Japanese food! I really enjoyed Teriyaki salmon lunch. Very succulent and full of flavour. Friendly staff and good atmosphere as always. Easy to access from Aldgate tube station. 5-star quality!!
Michiko Naka
3 weeks ago
とってもフレンドリーで居心地の良いお店でした。とても美味しくて、久しぶりの美味しい日本食にほっこりしました。また行きます❣️
Jonathan Monks
4 weeks ago
The food is remarkable. The flavours are exceptional. It’s a bit like seeing a swimmer at your local pool, then seeing an Olympian. They’re both swimming, but one is way better than the other. This food is way better than you imagine it will be!
Lee Gibson
8 months ago
We came here for a nice close friend's dinner, we enjoyed a starter of Tempura Prawns, Edamame and Wagyu Jibuni in a sweet soy sauce. The highlight for me was the Wagyu Jibuni the beef was so smooth and tender and sauce as lovely. The Tempura Prawns were large and had a fluffy batter that was light. For mains my partner had the Katsu Curry and I had Aberdeen Angus Beef Gyudon both were cooked well and filling. For desert we had a meze of deserts the best for me was the sweet potato cheese cake but all desserts were good. Service was very friendly not to fast and the environment welcoming. Thanks team! 😊
mao 55
5 months ago
This is my favorite authentic Japanese restaurant. The staff are very friendly, and the atmosphere is nice. Everything is so delicious as well. Highly recommended!
Carl Osbourn
3 months ago
Favourite spot in the Square Mile for authentic Japanese cuisine, hosted by lovely, friendly staff.
Шоу "Робин Food"
5 months ago
Hidden gem ❤️ tasty, fresh , tried lots of dishes with my husband and everything was delicious! Fresh sashimi , eel , gyudon were fantastic ! Would highly recommend this place and will come again 👍🏼
Mika Higuchi
3 weeks ago
Very pleasant experience with delicious authentic Japanese food! I really enjoyed Teriyaki salmon lunch. Very succulent and full of flavour. Friendly staff and good atmosphere as always. Easy to access from Aldgate tube station. 5-star quality!!
Bea Tanjangco
6 months ago
Great food, the wagyu starter melts in your mouth and the eel was very tasty. It's definitely on the pricier side though! Good for a special occasion or look out for their deals.
Mankaran
a month ago
Had an amazing dining experience here! The food was outstanding, had aubergine dengaku, spicy chicken wings, and tempura roll and the chef's special salmon, which was the largest single filet I've ever had. Plus, the manager was incredibly friendly and greets with a big smile. Highly recommend this place!
Gary Fung
5 months ago
Their Ton katsu is one of the best in central London in my opinion, thanks to its use of higher quality pork, and the panko coating achieves the perfect crispiness. Their 'Ninja' charcoal curry is particularly eye-catching due to its uniqueness. The service is attentive, and the environment is very cosy.
Anne Iarchy
9 months ago
Being coeliac it’s not easy to eat out. But I got a full look over the menu to tell me what I could and couldn’t eat. The sushi was delicious and fresh, the cocktail was original and the service was great. Will happily go again!